Established in December 2000, Team K51 of the Đắk Lắk Provincial Military Command comprises 67 officers and soldiers dedicated to searching for, recovering and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives in Cambodia during wartime.

For more than 25 years, the team has braved rugged terrain and harsh weather, crossing forests and streams in its relentless mission to bring the nation's fallen heroes home. Guided by a profound sense of duty, its members remain committed to reuniting the fallen with their families after decades of separation.

During the 2025-26 dry season alone, Team K51 recovered and repatriated the remains of 27 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts from former battlefields in Cambodia. Their mission depends not only on perseverance and determination but also on valuable information provided by local residents on both sides of the border.

Members of Team K51 trek through forests and cross streams while searching for and recovering the remains of fallen soldiers in Cambodia. VNA/VNS Photos

Members of Team K51 trek through forests and cross streams while searching for and recovering the remains of fallen soldiers in Cambodia.

Members of Team K51 trek through forests and cross streams while searching for and recovering the remains of fallen soldiers in Cambodia.

Team K51 members and supporting forces carefully remove layers of soil during the search and recovery of fallen soldiers' remains the 500-day campaign.

Team K51 members and supporting forces carefully recover the remains of fallen soldiers during the 500-day campaign.

During the 2025-26 dry season, Team K51 recovered and repatriated the remains of 27 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts from Cambodia.

Team K51 of Đắk Lắk Province presents VNĐ10 million to 96-year-old Sô Hỗn of Tây Sơn Commune, Đắk Lắk Province, whose information helped the team recover the remains of two fallen soldiers during the 500-day campaign.

Gifts are presented to Team K51 at the memorial, funeral and burial ceremony for Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia.